This is a redo. My first version sounded quite stiff, although nobody told me that at the time. So now it's a few years later and I'm trying again. I've tried to let my hair down this time and play it with more abandonment. Hope it's okay...

Anyway, I just did a little research about this piece. Supposedly, Poulenc and Piaf did not know each other personally, but they died in the same year - 1963.

Not stiff at all, Monica. Either a touch too much reverb or pedal through my speakers, but it's a small thing.Just noticed that you'd recorded a few others of these - I like the first A minor (#5), and will try to listen to the others. I could never figure out why Poulenc was not more of a big name...

I hope you find time to get a few more of these in; how many are there?

I hope you find time to get a few more of these in; how many are there?

There are 15 Improvisations. I would like to learn some more of them someday. I just looked at my list and it shows that the five I have already recorded are all odd numbers. Hmmm....

hreichgott wrote:

I like it very much... can almost hear Piaf singing

Me too!

mnodine wrote:

The only oddity is in the "céder beaucoup" section about 1.29, the change oftempo was unsteady enough that it made some of the rhythms sound dotted.

Thank you, Mark! Funny you mention that my tempo sounded unsteady at the spot at 1:29, because I actually was unsteady there! I had started daydreaming and suddenly came back to reality at that place but sort of 'lost it'. I'll just say it was another interpretation thing .

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

It's been awhile since your earlier effort, but your rendition here strikes me as being fully creditable in every way. Listening to it now, I image that your ears have to be on alert constantly for clear pedaling, as there are so many chromatic and neighboring tones abounding there. My guess is that you had to apply some light touches along with some quarter- and half-pedal releases to avoid blurs. Very nicely done, Monica. That coda leading up to the chordal close is very unusual, but it works quite well. I enjoyed listening.

David

_________________"Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities." David April

Thank you for listening. Yes, pedaling was very tricky here. And this is one of those rare pieces where I used all 3 pedals! Right there at that coda leading up to the chordal close. I had to slide my left foot over from the middle pedal to the soft pedal without missing a beat. It was an interesting little personal challenge to get it to work seamlessly.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

this piece is nice ! I like your playing and the sound of your recording too.

Yes there is definitely something of the atmosphere of some Piaf's songs but I could not recognize one particularly. Can you help me ?

Didier

Hi Didier, I'm glad to see you! I think it's been years since you've listened to one of my recordings!!

I don't know if this piece has in it some actual melody from a Piaf song. I think that Poulenc just had her in mind when he composed this piece. It's very dramatic and tragic....just like Piaf. I could be wrong, though.

andrew wrote:

That is very nice, and best of all, it does actually sound like a somewhat mushy late-night improvisation!

Thank you, Andrew! Mushy late-night in a dark night club....yes!

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

I think it's been years since you've listened to one of my recordings!!

You mean it's been years since I've posted a comment to one of your recordings ? Yes possibly but meanwhile I've listened to some of them...

I'm glad to know that, but I wish you (and other members who hardly comment) would comment more often. I've said this before-- I always feel like I spend a lot of time with certain members and don't get anywhere close to the same amount of attention back from them. Just a little peep now and then would be nice. It makes it feel less one-sided here on the forum.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

Hello Monica,Beautiful piece and charming rendition ! I've never been a big fan of Edith Piaf (I have even to confess that I can hardly suffer her voice). But here, if there is a nostalgic climax, we are (fortunately) far from Piaf's expressionism. This music suits you beautifully, so that you have definitely to complete the whole series...

Hello Monica,Beautiful piece and charming rendition ! I've never been a big fan of Edith Piaf (I have even to confess that I can hardly suffer her voice). But here, if there is a nostalgic climax, we are (fortunately) far from Piaf's expressionism. This music suits you beautifully, so that you have definitely to complete the whole series...

Hello Francois,Thank you for the kind words! You're certainly making me feel like looking into these Improvisations again...sooner rather than later.

I too am not a fan of Piaf. In fact, I've only heard her sing La Vie en Rose one time, but that was enough... I would much rather listen to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald or Rosemary Clooney.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

Another thing I like with her way of singing is her diction (does this word exist in English ? I mean we can understand every word she sings). What a great lady !

Yes, diction is the correct word. And you're right about that she has good diction. Also, she's always in tune and makes it sound so easy to hit the high notes. Francois, do you like Nat King Cole? He's another one of my favorites. A voice smooth as silk!

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

Another thing I like with her way of singing is her diction (does this word exist in English ? I mean we can understand every word she sings). What a great lady !

Yes, diction is the correct word. And you're right about that she has good diction. Also, she's always in tune and makes it sound so easy to hit the high notes. Francois, do you like Nat King Cole? He's another one of my favorites. A voice smooth as silk!

Yes, I do ! Actually, I am less familiar with his production, but my son, who is also a jazz fan, let me quite recently realise how good is Cole. So much of good music to listen, and so little time to do so ! Have a good sunday,

Hi Monica,it´s a pleasure to listen to this recording, because it´s played so expressively and contains many subtle dynamic differentiations. Your pedaling is excellent! My only suggests for improving are also, that you could pay more attention on the "ceder"-passages in the middle of the piece, but that´s a matter of taste. And there is a small thing in bar 22 counted from backwards from the end and the parallel bar in the first part: there the notes "b" and "a-flat" in the tenor are missing or hardly audible. But these are absolutely minors in a splendid recording like this. I only mention it, because I have noticed that at the both places, where these notes are.

I used to do that! But I meant that I need work...as in, I need help. Like someone needs to fix me so I can play better.

So what about some four hands playing? Would be great f. ex. to do another Haydn-symphony or the other movements of the Farewell- symphony. What do you think? May be this is the kind of work you had in mind?

Sorry Andreas, but I don't have any extra time these days. I've entered a piano competition which will be held in the end of May and I have to devote most of my practice time to the pieces I will play.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

Maybe it's just a saying here in the US....when you say "he's a piece of work" or "she needs some work", it means "he's a pompous ass," or "he's an idiot." Or "she needs help with getting her act together,"....something about her needs improving.

_________________"Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties." ~ Frederic Chopin

You did a beautiful job with this piece. It is very sensitive and combines a sense ofFrench cabaret, classical, 60's pop and emotional longing and a sense of looking back. I think it is amazing that a piece that repeats the same phrase continuously is none theless engaging throughout. Great job!

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